Improvement in dental pluggers



W. D. STILLMAN.

. Improvement in Dental-Pluggers.

N0. 130,954, Patented Aug. 27, I872.

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of a perspective view of my invention.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLETT D. STILLMAN, OF WEST WINFIELD, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN DENTAL PLUGGERS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILIIETT D. STILLMAN, of West Winfield, in the county of Herkimer and State of" New York, have invented a new andvaluableImprovementinDentistsMallets; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawing is a representation Fig. 2 is a sectional view, and Fig. 3 is a detail, view of the same.

This invention has relation to instruments for plugging teeth and consists in the novel construction of a handle adapted to hold a plugger and provided with means for automatically projecting said plugger with force against the filling of the tooth, in order to drive said filling into place, substantially as hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawing, A represents an ordinary plugging-tool, and B a large-sized hollow handle to receive the same. The inner end of said handle is furnished with a cap, 0, narrowed at 0, so as to fit into the handlesocket. To the inner end of said cap is secured a spiral spring, D, holding a recessed cap, E. The cap 0 is provided with a central aperture through which the shank of the plugger passes. The end of said shank fits into the recess of the cap E, the former passing through the center of the spring. The aperture in the cap 0 is of sufficient size to allow the plugger to slide lengthwise without obstruction, and may be either of a round or octagon form to suit the various kinds of pluggers. The octagon form is, however, to be preferred, as it prevents the plugger from turning. F designates a key having a lug, G, at its forward end, which enters a slot in the side of the cap 0, is. pivoted eccentrically, and

may, by pressing down the rear'end of the key, be brought in contact with the shank of the plugger. A spiral, or other form of spring, g, is arranged between the rear end of the key and the handle B, and tends to keep the lug G free from the plugger-shank.

The instrument may be used in two ways. The first way is to push the plugger as far back as possible into the handle, to then secure it by pressing on the key, and to finally project it against the filling by holding the point a slight distance away from the tooth andreleasing the key. The spring D throws the plugger out as far as required, and causes the point to strike the plugging. The second way of using the instrument is: Insert the point of the plugger in the tooth, and, without touching the key, to work the handle lengthwise so as to cause the heavy end A to strike the cap E, holding the end of the plugger at every movement of the handle toward the tooth.

When the instrument is used according to the second method the spring D prevents the plugger from being withdrawn or fallingfrom the tooth when the handle is being drawn back.

The spring is particularly useful for this purpose when upper teeth are being filled.

What I claim as new is.

1. The handle B for dental pluggers, provided with the bored cap 0, spring D, cap E, and weight A, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The key F having the pivoted lug G, in combination with the slidin g plugger A, spring D, cap E, and spring g, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLETT DELOS STILLMAN. Witnesses:

MY'RON A. McKnn, JOHN 0. WHEELER- 

